Hal:

Good to know they still produce a good product...
I have given up the finer wire here, strung very long ants using steel
fencing wire (like used in regards to chain link fence--or even large
dia stainless steel wire from welders outlets in rolls--but EXPENSIVE!)
run through 1/4"+ copper tubing these days--get all of at Lowe's or Home
Depot... something about pumping big watts into a thin wire which just
"itchs" my eccentricities... frown

Copper tubing can be had for scrap prices at a large recycling/metal
scrapping yard near you... sometimes a guy is even lucky enough to find
the steel wire to run through it for a few cents a pound!

In fact, many good aluminum/copper/stainless flats, rods, tubing, etc
can be found for antenna projects... yellow pages should provide anyone
with a source...

Warmest regards,
John

"Hal Rosser" wrote in message
. ..

"John Smith" wrote in message
news
Years and years ago, they used to make a heavy copper plated steel
ant
wire, anyone remember it? It was great, took years of abuse, snow,
ice
and high winds at a cabin of mine in the high sierras (11,500 ft
elevation) and, like a timex watch, kept on ticking...

Years ago (like about 2 yrs) and even today (like now)
Copperweld makes it.
I have some 300-ohm transmission line made from copperweld conductors.
Look into the belden catalog and anywhere you
see the "Copperweld" trademark uses copper-coated steel.

In fact, many good aluminum/copper/stainless flats, rods, tubing, etc
can be found for antenna projects... yellow pages should provide anyone
with a source...

Warmest regards,
John

One should be careful when using aluminum conductors for antennas.
ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced)
may be a better choice for tensile strength.
but Aluminum oxide is an insulator. and it forms easily at the connections.
But I have made some good antennas out of Aluminum Arrows
I even left the fletching (feathers) on for a couple of antennas. :-)

Hal:

I never thought about the aluminum shafts of arrows!!! The expensive
ones are a titanium alloy--if I remember correctly... Make one tough
antenna...

I have been lucky enough to get some titanium rod (or alloyed aluminum)
before--at a scrappers, you sure can tell it when you attack it with a
hacksaw, this was tempered, apparently, and had the properties of spring
steel...

You are right, that anti-corrode stuff (gel/grease whatever that stuff
is) is good to use on aluminum connections... I am in California--away
from the coast--corrosion is not a very great problem here... but still
every 5 years or so you do have to clean connections and redress...

Warmest regards,
John

"Hal Rosser" wrote in message
.. .

In fact, many good aluminum/copper/stainless flats, rods, tubing, etc
can be found for antenna projects... yellow pages should provide
anyone
with a source...

Warmest regards,
John

One should be careful when using aluminum conductors for antennas.
ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced)
may be a better choice for tensile strength.
but Aluminum oxide is an insulator. and it forms easily at the
connections.
But I have made some good antennas out of Aluminum Arrows
I even left the fletching (feathers) on for a couple of antennas. :-)